Our Story
Question
How did you meet?
Answer
We first met while serving in Children's Church at Salem in 2019. Shortly after our initial hello, the world faced a tumultuous global health crisis, and our interactions were sporadic throughout that year. We occasionally spoke during online services and small group meetings, but it wasn't until the public reopened that we began to see each other more often. Despite sharing a friend group, our communication remained infrequent until October 2022. It was then that we truly connected, leading to our first date in November, where we enjoyed a perfect evening ice skating together.
Question
What is your favorite memory while dating?
Answer
Our favorite shared memory while dating includes the first few days we spent getting to know each other. While our relationship still feels fresh and full of discovery, we consider fondly the memories of the time we spent shifting from being mutual friends to something more.
Question
What is your favorite activity together?
Answer
One of our favorite activities, which we pray for many more opportunities to do, is traveling-- specifically road trips. Our longest drive was 13 hours! During our car rides, no topic is off limits. We enjoy listening to podcasts, sermons, Jubilee debates, and more. We enjoy deep discussions on topics like religion, politics, and education.
Question
What was it like getting engaged?
Answer
I, Jessica, was so surprised when Lorenzo proposed! It was the day of our one year dating anniversary. We spent the morning ice skating, as we did on our first date, and in the evening we took a helicopter ride over the city. Marriage was a topic we talked about frequently while dating. We entered our relationship knowing we both wanted to one day be married and wanted to intentionally discern if God was inviting us to a marriage together. The engagement did not feel significantly different from dating, other than planning a wedding which always felt more exciting than stressful. Prior and during our engagement, we were blessed to have our families support and the love and mentorship of many others including pastors and our community at Salem, Lorenzo's book club, and Jessica's Chicago family.
Question
What are you excited for in marriage?
Answer
We are excited to simply combine our lives. So far, the experience has been like getting to do your favorite things with your best friend. We are excited to continue dating each other, seeing more of the world, and God willing grow our family at just the right time. We also look forward to the challenge. God has already used us in a mighty way to sharpen one another. As we grow in love with Him, we expect our capacity to love one another and our neighbors more fully.